#45 Ju Ju Shine
Posted on November 14, 2007
Filed Under Chinese, Taiwanese |
Talk about hole in the wall, this is about as far from establish restaurant as I’ve gotten here in the US. Ju Ju Shine is a one-woman-show half the time. The owner and chef is this Taiwanese auntie who also speaks fluent Japanese and cooks up a storm of authentic home-style Taiwanese combo meals, rice and noodles from her open (for a reason) kitchen in the back of the tiny restaurant.
They make the best intestine noodles here. Big and flavorful chunks of intestine cleaned in beer. It’s rare to find a place so generous and hard core with intestine.
Coming here is like going over to a friend’s house. It’s both good and bad. Service is almost non-existant here, as the chef / owner is the only person in the restaurant half the time (the other half of the time there’s someone helping bussing tables and washing the dishes) I’ve came here on and off for a few years now and have learned my way around the kitchen and have started just helping myself instead of having the owner do it. Need more rice? The rice cooker is in the back of the kitchen. More Barley tea? The fridge is in plain sight. It’s such a cozy and homely place that it almost feels like I should help clean up and wash the dishes. The other thing about this place is that the chef might switch vegetables on your combo plate based on availability, so each time you’re here the veggies o ingredients of certain dishes might change. Be ready to roll with it.
Braised pork combo. Amazingly fatty / delicious pork, rice, egg, veggies, soup. $7. Hard to beat this deal.
Seafood fried rice. Authentic, home style. Absolute comfort food.
But really, the food here shines. Hard-core Taiwanese home-made style, very very generous portions. The braised pork is fantastic, the intestine thin noodles are the best I’ve had here in the states and is the BEST when it’s a cold day or if you’re feeling a little under the weather. Other standard fares such as pork chop rice and house special rice noodles are very well put together as well. The popcorn chicken is solid with a ton of fried basil and ridiculously large portioned.
The oyster pancake might look awful, but it tastes great.
Ju Ju Shine
1631 W Carson St
Torrance, CA, 90501
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Mmmmm, sounds so good, I think I’ll go check it out. It’s SO close to my house!